It includes 4 essays by students whose permission to include theirs did not reach me in time for the first printing, of which I gave out a few copies in class on Friday 28th.

Essay#3

I plan to make a similar collection of Essay3. I will send out an email to each of you next week asking for your permission to print your essay. I will then make the collection available for download here on this blog.

Choose a topic for essay #3 “Problem-Solution” from the list on p. 72 in the textbook.

(Option) Watch this short video of comedian Louis C.K. giving a funny counter-claim to the common claim that lying is bad.

Louis’ counter-claim is that lying solves almost every problem like magic.

Schedule:

Friday July 21st:

start writing your compare-contrast essay in class.

gather data, design questions to ask classmates tin class.

After class, email me your essay#3 draft#1 as soon as possible. I will correct and return your draft asap.

If I have time, I will email it to you. If not, I will give you my corrections personally in class on July 28th.

Friday July 28th: using my corrections and comments, you will write the final draft of your compare-contrast essay in class.

Today’s class

You need a counter-claim. Most students had no counter-claim or very weak counter-claims. This makes you look lazy (you can’t be bothered to think of any) or ignorant (you don’t realize there are arguments against your position). Either way, you need counter-claims.

What exactly is the problem? Some of you did not clearly define the problem.

E.g. “putting things off is a problem.” No, it isn’t. It’s a bad habit, maybe, but it is not a problem. It CAUSES problems, yes, but putting things off itself is not a problem. You need to be clear in your own mind exactly what the problem is.

If you did some original research, e.g. by asking classmates some questions and gathering data, then you need to present the results to your readers. Usually this is the 2nd and 3rd paragraphs (the 1st and 2nd body paragraphs).

What is the evidence (what can you see in the picture that might be relevant)?

The autopsy report (not in the picture) says that Arthur died of a wound on the head and that he had been drunk.

List the other pieces of evidence.

Now link the evidence to Queenie’s claim with explanations about why it supports or does not support Queenie’s claim about what happened to Arthur.

E.g. Evidence: Arthur is still holding an unbroken glass in his hand. When people slip and fall (Queenie’s claim), they usually drop what they are holding and try to stop themselves falling by grasping something solid. So if Arthur had fallen, the glass would not be still in his hand. The fact that it is in his hand does not support Queenie’s claim. Also, being made of glass, it is quite likely to have broken, but it is not broken. These two pieces of evidence do not support Queenie’s claim. However, they do not prove that Queenie is lying, nor do they prove how Arthur received his head wound. So we need more evidence and more reasoning.

Optional Video 3 : Bullets vs Prince Rupert Drops. https://youtu.be/CaYq9sX4zLs#t=1m16s This is about a visit to the Royal Society in London to see the original 17th century records of scientists Robert Moray, Robert Hook and Prince Rupert. This was the beginning of academic writing!Watch these videos and take notes about

After today’s textbook exercises and mini-lecture and watching the above videos, write your 3rd and final draft of your Explanatory essay and

email it to me by Wednesday midnight

print it out and bring it to class next week.

Today’s class

Mini-lecture on what is an argument?

Review of textbook points covered last time

p. 21 A Thesis statement

p.26 E – Transitions

As a rule, don’t begin a sentence with “And” or “But”.

p. 27 Because and Therefore

“Because” can only begin a subordinate clause (従属節) in English, and so cannot stand alone. It must be part of a longer sentence which has a main clause (主節). E.g.